87-677: Mordialloc Aboriginal Reserve in Victoria on the coast of Port Phillip Bay was on traditional land of the Bunurong people to which they gradually retreated from surrounding areas after white settlement from the 1850s. Most had moved, or had been relocated, to Coranderk by the mid-1860s. The Boon Wurrung (or Bunurong) peoples of the Kulin nation lived along the Eastern coast of Port Philip Bay for over 20,000 years before white settlement. Their mythology preserves
174-439: A 3 to 6-month wait. It is estimated that around 30–40% of the houses on the peninsula are not owned by permanent residents reflecting the popularity of owned beach houses. Most of these 'beach houses' are owned by residents of Melbourne . In addition to the national parks and golf courses, other notable tourist attractions include: Some popular activities on the peninsula include: Crime novel The Dragon Man by Garry Disher
261-663: A 600 square metre area. The project aimed to improve marine biodiversity, water quality and fish habitat. Like the Yarra which flows into it, Port Phillip faces the environmental concerns of pollution and water quality. Litter, silt and toxins can affect the beaches to the point where they are shut down by EPA Victoria . In 2008, the owner and master of Hong Kong-registered container vessel MV Sky Lucky were found liable for illegally disposing garbage into Port Phillip, convicted and fined $ 35,000. An Environmental Management Plan has been adopted for 2017-2027 in order to improve and ensure
348-507: A child, and 307 convicts with 17 convicts' wives and 7 children) entered Port Phillip. After some investigation it was decided to establish the settlement at a spot known as Sullivan Bay , very close to where Sorrento now exists. The expedition landed at Sullivan Bay on 17 October 1803, and the first of the "orders" issued by Collins bears that date. On 25 October, the King's birthday, the British flag
435-423: A favourite holiday destination for residents of Melbourne with 24,000 holiday homes in the area. Mornington Peninsula tourism generates 10 per cent of local employment opportunities and is an important component of the economy. Popular tourism times are long weekends such as Cup Weekend and Queens Birthday, the week involving Christmas , Boxing Day and New Years , with the months of December and January being
522-464: A few sandy beaches, there mostly exists a greater variety of beaches, swampy wetlands and mangroves. The occasional pebble beach and rocky cliffs can also be found, mostly in the southern reaches. Due to its shallow depth, several artificial islands and forts have been built; however, despite the depth, it only hosts a few true islands. Many sandy, muddy banks and shallows exist in its southern reaches, such as Mud Islands , but most islands are located in
609-459: A land route to Western Port and also sailed to the northwest shore of Port Phillip. On this latter journey, a large group of about 200 Aboriginal people came to meet the Britishers with "hostile intentions", and "with the application of fire-arms absolutely necessary to repel them", several Aboriginal people were shot. Lack of fresh water and good timber led this first British attempt at settlement in
696-565: A number of sites. Port Phillip lies in southern Victoria, separated from Bass Strait by the Bellarine Peninsula to the southwest and Mornington Peninsula to the southeast. It is the largest bay in Victoria and one of the largest inland bays in Australia. The narrow entrance to the bay, called the Rip , between Point Lonsdale and Point Nepean , features strong tidal streams made turbulent by
783-403: A slight lean towards sustainable practices. On 17 December 1967, Prime Minister Harold Holt went swimming at Cheviot Beach on what is now Point Nepean National Park. At the time, however, it was still a restricted area. Holt, who was 59 and had had a recent shoulder injury, plunged readily into the surf. He disappeared from view and was never seen again. Despite an extensive search his body
870-637: A small ceremony at a place now known as the Point King Foreshore Reserve in Sorrento . A few days later Murray sailed out of the heads and returned to Sydney . About ten weeks after Murray, Matthew Flinders in HMS ; Investigator also found and entered the bay, unaware Murray had been there. The official history of Nicholas Baudin 's explorations in Le Géographe claimed they too had sighted
957-737: A task he delegated in Mordialloc to a local squatter Mr A. V. Macdonald. Thomas assured the Select Committee of the health of the Boonwurrung people and of their fondness for the Mordialloc Aboriginal Reserve, saying: "...as far as the necessities of life are concerned... They want for nothing." The area was not, however, for their exclusive use; in the Victorian Legislative Council sitting of October 1858 correspondence
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#17328723004011044-503: A tourist hotspot with 1500 visitors traveling to the town's Main Street via ocean liners in recent years. Wealthier visitors to the peninsula usually own beach houses on large properties or with extensive views or beach access and as a result, there are very few established commercial hotels . There are however, many smaller motels priced to suit families and middle income earners. Large shared beach houses are also popular, although perhaps
1131-619: A typical day will range from 6 °C (43 °F) to 14 °C (57 °F). Port Phillip is often warmer than the surrounding oceans and/or the land mass, particularly in spring and autumn; this can set up a " bay effect ", similar to the " lake effect snow " seen in colder climates, where showers are intensified leeward of the bay (particularly in Melbourne 's eastern suburbs ). Port Phillip hosts many beaches, most of which are flat, shallow and long, with very small breaks making swimming quite safe. This attracts many tourists, mostly families, to
1218-481: A west/north-westerly direction and tapers down to a width of about 2–3 km (1.2–1.9 mi) before terminating at Point Nepean . Much of the topography is flat in the north where it connects to the mainland, however moving south-west, it soon becomes hilly, culminating in the central hilly landscapes of Boneo , Main Ridge , Red Hill , Tuerong and Moorooduc . The highest point, Arthurs Seat , located unusually close to
1305-492: Is a seasonal population of around 270,000. On 30 June 2017, the Mornington Peninsula population was recorded at 163,847 people. However, in the peak of summer the population increases to 225,000–250,000 people each year, so that it becomes the most populous coastal holiday area in Victoria, with a larger population than Hobart . The peninsula is primarily a local tourist region, with popular natural attractions such as
1392-650: Is an important feeding ground for waterbirds and migratory waders . The Mud Islands , off Sorrento , are an important breeding habitat for white-faced storm petrels , silver gulls , Australian pelicans and Pacific gulls . Salt marshes in the northwestern sections of the bay, such as that in the Werribee Sewage Farm and the adjacent Spit Nature Conservation Reserve , are within the Port Phillip Bay (Western Shoreline) and Bellarine Peninsula Ramsar Site , listed as wetlands of international importance under
1479-528: Is crossed by many seismically active fault lines, monoclines, synclines and anticlines; the largest of which is the 100 km long Selwyn Fault which is capable of producing earthquakes of around 7.5 magnitude. The Peninsula experiences many minor earthquakes every year, but most are too small to be felt. The last strong earthquake to rock the Peninsula had a magnitude of 5.0 and occurred on 7 July 1971 at 7:55 am AEST with its epicentre off Flinders , along
1566-738: Is home to about 100 to 150 of the recently described species of bottlenose dolphin , the Burrunan dolphin ( Tursiops australis ). The other 50 or so of this rare species are to be found in the Gippsland Lakes . Port Phillip has lost over 95% of native flat oyster and blue mussel reefs since European settlement. In 2014 the Port Phillip Shellfish Reef restoration project set about restoring shellfish reefs at two locations off Hobsons Bay near St Kilda, and off Corio Bay near Avalon. 300,000 native Angasi oysters were laid on limestone rubble over
1653-443: Is increased interest in organic production, and there are even organic beef producers. The Peninsula not only produces fresh products, with small-scale manufacturers of niche products as diverse as cheese, chocolate, chutney, jam, and olive oil. Local produce is also to be found at markets held around the Peninsula, such as the monthly market at Red Hill . A local organisation, Mornington Peninsula Gourmet, has been set up to support
1740-531: Is now Sorrento where in 1803 David Collins disembarked with 467 convicts, leaving after eight months after finding the site "unpromising and unproductive". By the 1850s most Bunurong withdrew to the Mordialloc Aboriginal Reserve established in 1852 which encompassed 337 hectares (832 acres) alongside the Mordialloc Creek and Port Phillip Bay. Mordy yallock (yallock meaning 'creek' in Boonwurrung language )
1827-613: Is now the middle of the bay, formed a coastal lake in the southern reaches of the bay dammed by The Heads , and subsequently pouring out into a closed bay that formed over the western portion of the prehistoric Bassian Plain, which was later completely flooded and became Bass Strait . The Aboriginal people inhabited the area long before the bay was formed, with evidence of occupation dating at least 40,000 years ago. Settler records indicate an oral history with at least 18,000 years of linearity when Boonwurrung Elder Ningerranarro spoke of his ancestors hunting kangaroo and possum where
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#17328723004011914-522: Is surrounded by Port Phillip to the west, Western Port to the east and Bass Strait to the south, and is connected to the mainland in the north. Geographically, the peninsula begins its protrusion from the mainland in the area between Pearcedale and an area north of Frankston . The area was originally home to the Mayone-bulluk and Boonwurrung-Balluk clans, and formed part of the Boonwurrung nation's territory prior to European settlement. Much of
2001-468: The Lady Nelson off what is now known as Sorrento Beach. During this voyage, Murray records in his journal his first encounter with local Aboriginal peoples. This initially friendly encounter started with trading, eating, and gifting, and was suddenly interrupted by a violent ambush by a large group of Aboriginal people. "They were all clothed in opossum skins and in each basket a certain quantity of gum
2088-657: The Mornington Peninsula to Frankston , Safety Beach / Dromana and Rye to Portsea . Longshore drift carries sand from south to north during winter and from north to south during summer. Cliff erosion control has often resulted in sand starvation, necessitating offshore dredging to replenish the beach. On the western side of the bay there is a greater variety of beach types, including both sandy and sandstone rock beaches, seen at Queenscliff , St Leonards , Indented Head , Portarlington , Altona and Geelong's Eastern Beach . Numerous sandbanks and shoals occur in
2175-489: The Ramsar Convention , and the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot is found at three wintering sites with saltmarsh habitat around Port Phillip and the Bellarine Peninsula . A variety of seabirds , such as Australasian gannets , nest on artificial structures in the bay. Port Phillip contains 3 Marine Sanctuaries managed by Parks Victoria to protect and conserve the bay's biodiversity, ecological processes and
2262-537: The Victorian coast from the Werribee River across to Western Port Bay and Wilsons Promontory . The peninsula may have been home to between 100 and 500 people prior to European settlement. The first European settlement on the Mornington Peninsula was also the first settlement in Victoria, situated in what is now Sorrento. The Sullivan's Bay settlement was a short-lived penal colony established in 1803, 30 years before
2349-505: The Wathaurong (west), Wurundjeri (north) and Boonwurrung (south and east) people, all part of the indigeous Kulin nation . The first Europeans to enter the bay were the crews of HMS Lady Nelson , commanded by John Murray and, ten weeks later, HMS Investigator commanded by Matthew Flinders , in 1802. Subsequent expeditions into the bay took place in 1803 to establish the first settlement in Victoria, near Sorrento , but
2436-631: The scrub by the waterholes were "honey eaters, warblers, red coat robins, emu wren with 2 long feathers in tail, Laughing jack ass- everywhere, butcher bird, also known as shrike or whistling jackass, Quail where coverage good in bottom of scrub, turkey at Boneo and the big swamp off the property." On the flats were found spur wing plovers, minas, and leatherheads. In timbers near the flats were "many varieties of parrots, Lorry, Rosella, Blue mountain or honeysuckle parrot, Sulphur –crested white cockatoo, Black cockatoo of two kinds, Grey cockatoo with scarlet crest and Corella or cockatoo parrot." Among
2523-521: The Argus from Cowes, Flinders, Kangaroo Grounds, Mornington, Queenscliff, Eltham, Lilydale, Shoreham, and Cape Schanck, all mention the earthquake." Anthonys Nose is an escarpment landform of Devonian granite on the Mornington Peninsula that is located where Arthurs Seat ends as the mountain falls steeply towards Port Phillip and is part of the Selwyn Fault . In 1800, Lieutenant James Grant
2610-475: The Bay now lies. Large piles of semi-fossilised seashells known as middens can still be seen in places around the shoreline, marking the spots where Aboriginal people held feasts. They made a good living from the abundant sea-life, which included penguins and seals . In the cold season, they wore possum-skin cloaks and intricate feathered head-dresses. A dry period combined with sand bar formation, may have dried
2697-545: The Lands department had ever allocated it to such purpose. Port Phillip Port Phillip ( Kulin : Narm-Narm ) or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria , Australia . The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, narrow channel known as The Rip , and is completely surrounded by localities of Victoria's two largest cities — metropolitan Greater Melbourne in
Mordialloc Aboriginal Reserve - Misplaced Pages Continue
2784-483: The Yarra River, which make up today's Port of Melbourne . The Melbourne Harbor Trust and Geelong Harbor Trust were responsible for the piers and wharves in their respective cities — they are now the government owned Port of Melbourne Corporation and the privately operated GeelongPort. Mornington Peninsula The Mornington Peninsula is a peninsula located south of Melbourne , Victoria , Australia . It
2871-672: The bay he described "scallop shells which were used as an oil lamp with a bulrush wick, banks of cockles covered with birds, grey and white gulls, a 13-16 lb size schnapper ground off Mt Martha Point, mutton fish or venus ear- bait, coatfish, parrot fish , leather jackets, flathead , dog fish, sting rays, shark tailed rays, and pig fish that he thought to be "very old". On the beaches could be sighted pelicans, penguins, grey and grey white gull, called "bungan" by aborigines (the Bunurong Mayone-bulluk clan), small white and lavender gull, pied oyster catchers, terns, cormorants,
2958-406: The bay is navigable, although it is extremely shallow for its size — the deepest portion is only 24 m (79 ft) and half the bay is shallower than 8 m (26 ft). Its waters and coast are home to seals , whales , dolphins , corals and many kinds of seabirds and migratory waders . Before European settlement , the area around Port Phillip was divided between the territories of
3045-570: The bay is the driest part of southern Victoria and almost approaches a semi-arid climate ( BSk ) with a mean annual rainfall as low as 425 millimetres (17 in) (comparable to Nhill or Numurkah ), whilst the eastern shores less shielded by the Otways receive as much as 850 millimetres (33 in). Summer temperatures average around 25 °C (77 °F) during the day and 14 °C (57 °F) at night, but occasional northerly winds can push temperatures over 40 °C (104 °F), whilst in winter
3132-586: The bay of Port Phillip have shown increases. Unlike in Portland and on Great Ocean Road , Southern Rights in eastern Victorian waters are still critically endangered and in very small numbers; however, presences of cow-calf pairs in the bay in recent years indicate that Port Phillip was possibly once a wintering/calving ground for these whales. They swim very close to shores to take rests in shallow, sheltered waters, sometimes just next to piers in Frankston . The bay
3219-505: The bay out as recently as between 800 BCE and 1000 CE. Seismicity has been observed around the bay continually since the 1800s with earlier earthquakes recorded in local newspaper reports. An earthquake that occurred in July 1885 was described in a newspaper. "The earth-quake appears to have been confined to the southern portion of the colony, and principally to those places bordering on Bass's Straits and Port Phillip Bay. Telegrams to
3306-574: The bay's entrance, The Rip , and later lived with an Aboriginal Australian group for many years, being given up for dead. Port Phillip was then left mostly undisturbed until 1835, when settlers from Tasmania led by John Batman and John Pascoe Fawkner (who had been at the Sorrento settlement as a child) established Melbourne on the lower reaches of the Yarra. John Batman encountered William Buckley who then became an important translator in negotiations with
3393-453: The bay's main eastern portion north of the Mornington Peninsula , and the city of Greater Geelong in the much smaller western portion (known as the Corio Bay ) north of the Bellarine Peninsula . Geographically, the bay covers 1,930 km (750 sq mi) and the shore stretches roughly 264 km (164 mi), with the volume of water around 25 km (6.0 cu mi). Most of
3480-401: The beaches of Port Phillip during the summer months and school holidays. Water sports such as body boarding and surfing are difficult or impossible, except in extreme weather conditions. However, stand up paddle boarding (SUP), kite surfing and wind surfing are very popular. Most sandy beaches are located on the bay's northern, eastern and southern shorelines, while the western shorelines host
3567-460: The bluedevil fish and fantastic sponge walls on the Lonsdale wall in the heads of the bay. It also hosts breeding colonies of Australian fur seals . Occasionally, Australian sea lions , New Zealand fur seals , subantarctic fur seals , and leopard seals may come into the bay as well. Certain individual southern elephant seals may frequent the bay as well. Swan Bay , adjacent to Queenscliff,
Mordialloc Aboriginal Reserve - Misplaced Pages Continue
3654-462: The boat, Murray ordered grapeshot and round shot to be fired from the carronades aboard the ship at the fleeing Aboriginal people. Murray said "Thus did this treachery and unprovoked attack meet with its just punishment and at the same time taught us a useful lesson to be more cautious in future." After exploring the southern part of the bay, Murray formally took possession of the area on 8 March 1802 for King George III of Great Britain in
3741-413: The cherry trees in the garden at the homestead were "bronzewing pigeon and satin birds, love birds and honeyeating parakeets." Birds of prey were "eagle hawks, falcons, and owls, some white and of great size". Small numbers of common dolphins have become residents in eastern parts of the bay since the late 2000s. In recent years, the numbers of southern humpback and southern right whales entering
3828-532: The city of Geelong sprawls around Corio Bay in the bay's western arm. Port Phillip formed between the end of the last Ice Age around 8000 BCE and around 6000 BCE, when the sea-level rose to drown the vast river plains , wetlands and lakes at what was then the lower reaches of the Yarra River . The ancient Yarra and its tributaries (the other present-day rivers of the Port Phillip catchment) flowed down what
3915-499: The cool, maritime climate of the Peninsula is particularly noted for pinot noir . Many wineries are open for public tastings and several have quality restaurants. Apples were the staple product of the Peninsula for several generations, with whole trainloads being dispatched to the city and ports. The number of orchards has been dramatically reduced, however there are many other producers on the Peninsula, specialising in berries, cherries, and other fruits, as well as market gardens. There
4002-508: The crew of the Lady Nelson , commanded by John Murray , which entered the bay on 15 February 1802. The bay was then known as Narm-Narm by the people of the Kulin tribe, and Murray called the bay Port King after the Governor of New South Wales , Philip Gidley King . On 4 September 1805, King formally renamed it Port Phillip, in honour of his predecessor Arthur Phillip . Murray chose to base
4089-478: The east shore of the bay. Later, resorts further south such as Sorrento and Portsea became popular. The more swampy western shores of the bay were not so favoured, and have been used mainly for non-residential purposes such as agriculture, the Point Cook Royal Australian Air Force base and the Werribee Sewage Farm , and significant nature reserves. In recent decades the population along
4176-422: The entrance at that time (30 March 1802) but this is almost certainly a later embellishment or error, being absent from the ship's logs and Baudin's own accounts. As a result of Murray's and Flinders' reports, King sent Lieutenant Charles Robbins in HMS Cumberland to explore Port Phillip fully. This surveying party, which included Charles Grimes , produced a mostly complete chart of Port Phillip including
4263-431: The establishment of Melbourne, by Lieutenant-Colonel David Collins (1753–1810). At the time of European settlement in 1803 much of the Mornington Peninsula was covered with she-oak forests. These were quickly cleared to provide firewood for the growing city of Melbourne, and much of the peninsula was then covered with fruit orchards. Nevertheless, much natural vegetation still exists, especially in an area of bushland in
4350-408: The gullies, that were caught in box traps with sliding doors, porcupine ant eater or echidna that were at the back of Arthur's Seat mountain, the great iguana, tree lizard- 5 feet, python, and the rock or sleeping lizard." The trees were coast banksia, honey suckle, and grass trees "with crowns for thatching". The gum of Xanthorrhoea australis was used for carriage varnish. In the waters of
4437-468: The historic McCrae Homestead on the southern shore of the bay, part of the Mornington Peninsula . In the letters he described in detail the natural history of the area in the 1840s, and the species he particularly remembered 60 years later. In 1939, Charles Daley read an article before the Royal Historical Society of Victoria based on these letters, which was published in its journal in 1940
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#17328723004014524-546: The history of the flooding of Port Phillip Bay 10,000 years ago, and its period of drying and retreat 2,800–1,000 years ago (see: Prehistory of Australia ). Visible evidence of their shell middens and hand-dug wells remain along the cliffs of Beaumaris , and as scar trees from which bark was taken for canoes along Mordialloc Creek. The Bunurong first encountered white Europeans when in February 1801 Lady Nelson sailed into Port Phillip and they met crewmen who had landed at what
4611-519: The koala, song man Kubaru of the Bunerong Mordialloc tribe envisaged a great disaster to his people, "All gone dead." Nancy and Jimmy Dunbar died in 1877, the last Bunurong people from the Mordialloc camp. In 1878 the Minister of Lands, in deciding on the application by George Langridge for 4.0 hectares (10 acres) at Mordialloc "believed to have been reserved for an aboriginal reserve", denied that
4698-411: The little sandpiper, and musk ducks. In the swamps (which have since been filled in) were "The Nankeen bird with one long white feather behind the ear, The rail, The bittern, The snipe and jack snipe, Several ducks- wood duck, black duck, Teal, Spoonbill, Black swan Geese, Cranes, Blue and white coots, Water hens, Kingfishers here and there and swamp or ground parrot with the barred tail feathers." In
4785-607: The local Aboriginal tribesmen. In 1838 Geelong was founded, and became the main port serving the growing wool industry of the Western District . For a time Geelong rivalled Melbourne as the leading settlement on the bay, but the Gold Rush which began in 1851 gave Melbourne a decisive edge as the largest town in Victoria. As Melbourne prospered, its wealthy classes discovered the recreational uses of Port Phillip. Bayside suburbs such as St Kilda and Brighton were established on
4872-413: The many small producers on the Peninsula. The peninsula is serviced predominantly by a network of roads. Public transport is limited to a bus service which services urban areas on the western shorelines and a train service for the eastern areas of the peninsula. The following methods of transport are available to access various regions of the peninsula: The Mornington Peninsula has a long history of being
4959-465: The marshy shallows of Swan Bay . Some of the bay's major islands include: Jellyfish are a familiar sight in Port Phillip, and its waters are home to species such as Australian fur seals , bottlenose dolphins , common dolphins , humpback whales , and southern right whales . Many other cetacean species may also migrate off the areas. The smooth toadfish is one of the most common fishes in muddy areas. The bay has many endemic species including
5046-581: The most popular form of accommodation lie in the many caravan parks and camping grounds where many visitors own or rent on-site caravans and annexes or camp in tents. Camping is particularly popular on foreshore reserves where camping is permitted. Some visitors continuously book particular sites and many camping grounds have been camped on by the same family for 2 or 3 generations. For the unestablished tourist, these camping grounds must be booked anywhere from 1 to 5 years in advance for foreshore sites, while further inland sites are more easily available with at most
5133-678: The mouth of the Yarra River , which they visited on 2 February 1803. Robbins found Aboriginal habitations and groups of Aboriginal people at Tootgarook , Carrum Carrum , on the banks of the Yarra and at Geelong . King decided to place a convict settlement at Port Phillip, mainly to stake a claim to southern Australia ahead of the French. On 10 October 1803 a convoy of two ships HMS Calcutta and Ocean led by Captain David Collins carrying 402 people (5 Government officials, 9 officers of marines, 2 drummers, and 39 privates, 5 soldiers' wives and
5220-466: The narrow bay entrance, The Heads or The Rip , and proceeds as a series of gently curved bays defined by small rocky outcrops. From an oceanic perspective, the Mornington Peninsula, together with the Bellarine Peninsula , separate the waters of Port Phillip from Bass Strait , except for a small gap known as The Rip , which also separates both peninsulas. The peninsula also separates the waters of Port Phillip and Western Port . The Mornington Peninsula
5307-501: The natural and heritage features. Port Phillip's marine water quality is monitored by the Environment Protection Authority of Victoria and was fluctuating between Good to Very Good across the bay in 2021-2022. In 1906, George Gordon McCrae wrote two letters to a local schoolmaster at Dromana , Mr G.H. Rogers. His subject was his earliest recollections of an idyllic boyhood spent at Arthur's Seat Run, location of
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#17328723004015394-499: The northern boundary of the region. The peninsula is one of four biosphere reserves in Victoria , the other three being national parks, and the only one with a resident population that reaches some 250,000 people during the peak tourist season. Some of the major parklands on the peninsula include: Land: Marine: A sewage outlet near Boag Rock, a couple of kilometres up the coast from Gunnamatta Surf Beach, pumps treated sewage into
5481-497: The ocean which finds its way to swimmers and surfers at Gunnamatta during particular tidal conditions. In March 2021, the Victorian State Government blocked a controversial project by energy company AGL to build a floating gas import terminal at Crib Point. The Mornington Peninsula is a notable wine region , producing small quantities of high quality wine from around 60 wineries. While most varieties are grown,
5568-435: The peak tourist period. Most visitors to the peninsula are local to central Victoria. However, international visitors from Asian markets such as China have become increasingly attracted to the area with international visitors increasing by 3–4% in 2018. Overall tourism on the Mornington Peninsula has also grown with a 20% increase in overnight trips in 2017, with newly established luxury hotels such as Jackalope Hotel increasing
5655-502: The peninsula has been cleared for agriculture and settlements. However, small areas of the native ecology remain in the peninsula's south and west, some of which is protected by the Mornington Peninsula National Park . In 2002, around 180,000 people lived on the peninsula and in nearby areas, most in the built-up towns on its western shorelines which are sometimes regarded as outlying suburbs of greater Melbourne; there
5742-449: The popularity of the region. 100,000 campers also enjoy the municipality's foreshore camping sites in the summer months for cheaper overnight trips. Short-stay rental services such as Airbnb have also become popular among tourists with 3.7% of the region's housing stock listed on the website. The Mornington Peninsula is also the third most popular tourist destination in Victoria for day-trip visitors. The suburb of Mornington has become
5829-475: The population speak English exclusively, the Mornington Peninsula population can speak other popular languages. 1.0% speak Italian, 0.7% speak Greek, 0.4% speak German, 0.3% speak Mandarin and 0.2% speak French. The peninsula extends from the mainland between Pearcedale and Frankston in a south-westerly direction for about 40 km (25 mi) at a width of about 15–20 kilometres (9.3–12.4 mi). It then begins to extend roughly 15 km (9.3 mi) in
5916-553: The region later known as Victoria to be abandoned on 27 January 1804. When Collins left Port Phillip, the Calcutta proceeded to Sydney , and the Ocean to Risdon Cove in Tasmania , where they arrived on 15 February 1804. Prior to abandonment, a group of convicts including William Buckley , escaped from the settlement. Buckley took up residence in a cave near Point Lonsdale on the western side of
6003-494: The shoreline, stands at 305 metres (1,001 ft ) above sea level. The peninsula hosts around 190 km (120 mi) of coastline. Its eastern shorelines meet many mangroves and mudflats in the waters of Western Port before it tapers down to form Crib Point, Stony Point and Sandy Point at the peninsula's most south-easterly point. In the south-east between Sandy Point and West Head, the mudflats give way to sandy beaches which in turn become more and more rocky further south. In
6090-522: The south known as Greens Bush, and the coastal fringe bordering Bass Strait and Western Port Bay. Most large areas of bushland are now included within the Mornington Peninsula National Park . As professional farming has declined, hobby farmers with an interest in the aesthetic and the natural environment have taken over much of the peninsula. This has led to an expansion of natural bushland on private property, and many native species, such as koalas, are becoming increasingly common. The local council also has
6177-444: The south the peninsula meets Bass Strait and the coastline becomes very rocky between West Head and Cape Schanck. The coast between Cape Schanck and Point Nepean consists of a long slow curvature of open-sea surf beaches, many too dangerous to swim in. Its western shorelines form various headlands and bays in the sheltered waters of Port Phillip , hosting many shallow safe beaches. The western coastline facing Port Phillip starts at
6264-535: The southern end of the Tyabb Fault. The Mornington Peninsula is located over 40 km south-east of Melbourne . As of 2016 it has a population of 154,999 which can swell up to 250,000 during the summer months. The majority of the Mornington Peninsula is administered by the local government area of the Shire of Mornington Peninsula , with southern areas of the adjoining City of Frankston and City of Casey forming part of
6351-522: The southern section of the bay, and parts of the South Channel require occasional maintenance dredging. The region has an oceanic climate ( Köppen Cfb ) with warm summers possessing occasional very hot days due to northerly winds and mild winters. Annual rainfall, which is evenly distributed over the year, shows considerable variation due to the Otway Ranges to the southwest: the northwestern shore of
6438-468: The uneven contours of the seabed. The best time for small craft to enter the Rip is at slack water . Large ships require expert local guidance to enter and exit, provided by the Port Phillip maritime pilots . Work has begun to deepen the channel entrance, to allow newer, larger container ships to access Melbourne's docks. The eastern side of the bay is characterised by sandy beaches extending from St Kilda , Sandringham , Beaumaris , Carrum , and down
6525-428: The variety of beaches, both sheltered and open-sea and many scenic sights and views. Other popular attractions include the various wineries, mazes and the diverse array of water sports made available by the diversity of beaches and calm waters of Port Phillip and Western Port. Most visitors to the peninsula are residents of Melbourne who camp, rent villas and share houses or stay in private beach houses . The peninsula
6612-560: The water quality is helping the marine life flourish as well as divide the supervising of the Bay between the government, community and industries. The southern section of the Bay near the Heads is covered by extensive sand banks, known as the "Great Sand". A shipping channel was dredged in an east–west direction from the Heads to near Arthur's Seat late in the nineteenth century, and maintained ever since. Early shipping used piers at Sandridge (Port Melbourne), but later moved to various wharves along
6699-417: The western side of the bay has grown more rapidly. In the 21st century, property along the Port Phillip coastline continues to be highly sought after. Port Phillip continues to be extensively used for recreational pursuits such as swimming, cycling, boating, and fishing. The bay also features a number of historical walks and fauna reserves. The traditional land owners of the area have also been acknowledged at
6786-547: The year after a large bushfire in January 1939 hastened the disappearance of much of the original surviving wildlife from the area. The names of the species reflect the titles given to them by the original European settlers of the bay. The animals he observed as a young boy were "immense droves of kangaroos , brush kangaroos or wallaby , paddy-melon , bandicoots (two varieties), great opossum (two varieties), ring tail, flying squirrel , flying mouse , dingoes or wild dogs in
6873-439: Was a favourite traditional camping ground with wild fowl in the fens of Carrum Swamp, and where fish came to spawn in the creek, though netting upstream by settlers, officially banned but not enforced, later limited their catch. William Thomas had been appointed Guardian of the Yarra and Western Port tribes of in 1850, having been Assistant Protector since 1837, and since 1853 was to have regularly supplied them blankets and food,
6960-425: Was abandoned in 1804. Thirty years later, settlers from Tasmania returned to establish Melbourne (now Victoria's capital city) at the mouth of the Yarra River in 1835, and Geelong at Corio Bay in 1838. Today, Port Phillip is the most densely populated catchment in Australia with an estimated 5.5 million people living around the bay; Melbourne's suburbs extend around much of the northern and eastern shorelines, and
7047-664: Was appointed in March 1862 to be 'honorary correspondent' at Mordialloc, reporting on the distribution of food and supplies, to the Central Board for Watching over the Interests of the Aborigines that had been established in 1860. The number of Aboriginal Australians in reserves in Victoria was estimated by the Board on 31 May 1869 to be 1,834, of which 26 were in Mordialloc. In a dream of his totem
7134-534: Was formed by the flooding of Port Phillip Bay after the end of the glacial period about 10000 BC. It may have extended into Port Phillip at various times, most recently between 800 BC and 1000 AD when Port Phillip Bay may have dried out. Indigenous Australians of the Mayone-bulluk and Boonwurrung-Balluk clans lived on the peninsula as part of the Boonwurrung People 's territory prior to European settlement. The territory hosted six clans who lived along
7221-453: Was found. ... if we may judge from the number of their fires and other marks this part of the country is not thin of inhabitants. Their spears are of various kinds and all of them more dangerous than any I have yet seen." The crew in response shot at the Aboriginal people, and continued to shoot at them as they fled, inflicting likely mortal wounds on two of the Aboriginal people. Watching from
7308-421: Was hoisted over the tiny settlement and a little salvo of musketry celebrated the royal occasion. On 25 November the first white child was born in Victoria and was baptised on Christmas Day , receiving the name of William James Hobart Thorne. The first marriage took place on 28 November, when a free woman, Hannah Harvey was wedded to convict Richard Garrett. Small exploratory groups from this settlement surveyed
7395-837: Was never found. He was officially presumed dead on 19 December 1967. In 2016, 17.8% of people in Mornington Peninsula Shire were born overseas. 8.9% of the total population were born in the United Kingdom being the largest migrant group in the region. 1.4% were born in New Zealand, 0.7% were born in Italy, 0.6% were born in Germany and 0.6% were born in the Netherlands. This was followed by smaller migrant groups from Ireland, United States of America, South Africa and Greece. While 88.9% of
7482-594: Was tabled complaining that fishermen at Mordialloc were being charged "about £6 per annum...for tenting on the sands at Mordialloc...in a reserve of land from the Crown for the aborigines..." and in 1861 the reserve was incorporated in the Farmers' Common of 3,220 hectares (7,960 acres). After widespread reporting that year of the coroner's inquest into the death of indigenous woman Betsy and her newborn infant due to exposure and malnourishment aroused some outrage, George Harris Warren
7569-518: Was the first known European to pass through Bass Strait from west to east in HMS Lady Nelson . He was also the first to see, and crudely chart, the south coast from Cape Banks in South Australia to Wilsons Promontory in Victoria. Grant gave the name "Governor King's Bay" to the body of water between Cape Otway and Wilsons Promontory, but did not venture in and discover Port Phillip. The first Europeans to find and enter Port Phillip, were
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